Nyon, Switzerland, 30 July 2026.- The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) strongly opposes the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) project to open the capital of some of its competitions to private investors. The European forum even mentions the possibility of boycotting certain tournaments if the project is maintained.
On Thursday in Nyon, Switzerland, the 55 UEFA member federations rejected the project led by FIFA President Gianni Infantino to allow private investors to enter certain international competitions, including the World Cup.
In a press release, UEFA believes that the World Cup is a world sporting heritage that should not be subject to private financial interests. The organisation is also critical of a lack of consultation on a project that it considers too important to be decided without the opinion of the main players in international football.
The project, which could raise billions of dollars in investment, raises concerns about the future governance of global football. In particular, media reports indicate the interest of US investors and large financial institutions in this FIFA-supported initiative.
In the face of this situation, UEFA says it is exploring several options to make its position heard, including non-participation in certain FIFA competitions. Such a decision could affect both male and female tournaments and deprive these appointments of several major European football nations.
At the moment, there seems to be no compromise between the two institutions. If FIFA maintains its project and UEFA implements its threat, global football could face one of the most serious governance crises in its recent history.
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